About Mouth Cancer Treatment

This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.

Mouth Cancer

Cancer can be defined as the uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and cause the damage to surrounding tissues. Mouth cancer appears as a growth or sore in the mouth that does not go away. Mouth cancer includes cancer of the tongue, lips, cheeks, the floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses and the throat. If not diagnosed early, mouth cancer can be life threatening.

Types of mouth cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma: This is the most occurring case of mouth cancer

Verrucous carcinoma

Minor salivary gland carcinomas

Lymphomas

Symptoms of mouth cancer

Swelling and lumps on the lips and gums

Unexplained bleeding in the mouth

Numbness and loss of feeling in any area of the face, neck or mouth.

Difficulty swallowing or chewing, speaking or moving the jaw or tongue

Change in voice (hoarseness) and chronic sore throat

Pain in the ears

Dramatic weight loss

Risk factors for the development of mouth cancer

The risk factors can be categorized under general, genetics and lifestyle

General

Gender: Mouth Cancer is twice more likely to occur in males than females.

Age: The disease is mainly known to affect those who have attained middle age. The average diagnosis of oral cancer is between the ages of 62 and 55

Ultraviolet light: Cancers of the lip are more common among those who work outdoors or others with prolonged exposure to sunlight.

Genetics

Genetic syndromes: Some inherited genetic mutations carry a high risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer. These include Fanconi anemia and Dyskeratosis congenita

Lifestyle

Excessive use of tobacco use

Excessive intake of Alcohol.

Other Conditions

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection: HPV is a risk factor for oral cancers. People with oral cancers linked to HPV tend to not be drinkers or smokers and usually have a good prognosis.

Immune system suppression: Taking drugs that suppress the immune system may increase the risk of oral cancer.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): This condition can occur after a stem-cell transplant. The new stem cells may have an immune response against the patient’s own cells, and tissues in the body may also be destroyed as a result. GVHD increases the likelihood of oral cancer, which can develop as soon as 2 years later.

How is oral cancer diagnosed?

As part of your routine dental exam

The dentists will conduct an oral cancer screening exam to look for lumps or any irregular tissue around the neck region and oral cavity.

The dentist will look for sores or discolored tissue and will check for any symptom associated with mouth cancer.

A brush biopsy might be performed by a dentist if any irregular tissue is found in the mouth. These tests are used to detect oral cancer early before it has the chance to spread to other regions

Further tests

If the biopsy confirms cancer you will need further tests to check what stage cancer has reached.Therefore, the tests will examine your lymph nodes, bones, and the tissue near the site of your initial tumor to check for the presence of other tumors.